Published 3:04 pm, Friday, November 1, 2013

Last week, my son dropped a bag full of shampoo, cereal and canned goods for the needy into a bin at our local YMCA. He was happy because he received a "Caring Card" from the staff. I was happy because I not only cleared some shelf space, but realized another added benefit of couponing — donating.

Like most couponers, I'm compelled to stockpile if I can purchase something for next to nothing, or nothing at all. Stockpiling is simply a frugal-living philosophy — combine coupons with sale prices, and stock up on staples your family can use over time to save on future grocery bills.

While some non-clippers are quick to cast couponers who stockpile as hoarders, we aren't all needlessly amassing floor-to-ceiling stacks of canned tuna and toilet paper. I don't have the discipline or desire to store like I'm anticipating a nuclear winter, but I do have a somewhat hearty stash of cereal, canned soup, shaving gel and shampoo. The goods I store all have a decent shelf life, and I won't pass on them if they will only cost me pennies. If I can't use them, there is always someone in the community that can, so in a way, smart couponing can serve the greater good.

If stockpiling is something you've been considering, whether to better serve your family, or the community, there are a few things to consider. It can take up to a few months to amass a cache that suits your needs and storage space. Not only that, you may spend a little more at the outset. Early on, I would spend an extra $20 or so a week on supplies I didn't necessarily need right away, but knew I would use. Now several months later, I'm spending less than half of what I was shelling out each week and running out to the store for forgotten ingredients a lot less.

I won't hesitate to pick up a few things here and there even if I know I won't use it. If I can get a box of Cheerios for a quarter, I'll put it aside for the next food drive, because no matter how hard I try, my kids won't eat it.

If your pantry doors are bursting and you need to downsize, you can always donate to one of many Capital Region facilities willing to take your bar or laundry soap stash. Likewise, if you happen to be out and see a coupon-stacking sale on something you may not need, know that you can always donate it. Here are just a few local organizations who will gladly help you shed your stockpile:

Bethesda House Food Pantry, 834 State St., Schenectady. There is an ongoing need for nonperishable food items such as canned fruits, vegetables and soup, tuna fish, mash potato and pancake mixes, syrup, macaroni and cheese, pasta, rice and cereal. They also welcome clothing, hygiene products and household goods. Call 374-7873 or visit http://www.bethesdahouseschenectady.org.

Moreau Community Center, 144 Main St., South Glens Falls. The center operates an emergency food shelter for those living in the South Glens Falls School District. Drop-off boxes for non-perishable food items are located at the center. Call 792-6007 or visit http://www.moreaucommunitycenter.org.

Target: I finally tried something I wrote about a few weeks ago, and that's price matching. I had two coupons for a popular Fisher-Price Imaginext toy, one was a $10 store coupon, the other a $10 manufacturer coupon. I noticed that Amazon.com had the toy for nearly $10 less than Target. I went to the service desk and requested the adjustment, which they granted without hassle. Instead of spending the sale price of $44.99 for the item, I paid $37.99, less the $20 in coupons, so just $17.99 plus tax. You can see the details on the blog if you'd like to try to take advantage of this offer.

Also, if your kids are anything like mine, they are already running to the mailbox and sifting through the Sunday paper in search of toy ads and catalogs, circling anything — and everything — they'd like Santa to bring this year. My daughter has already drafted her Christmas list, twice. I say all of this because in Sunday's paper you'll find three popular toy catalogs from Target, Toys R Us and Walmart. Each features dozens of pages of toy deals, and both the Target and Toys R Us ads also include coupons.